The law and order machinery was galvanised optimally to ensure elaborate and tight security in Salem city and nearby Omalur town, as the body of the murdered Dalit youth V. Gokulraj was handed over to his relatives and later buried on Thursday.
The body was handed over to his relatives at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital, and later shifted to the victim’s native town.
The city police cordoned off the medical college hospital and its surroundings. Along with a strong police force, a company of Tamil Nadu Special Police Force Battalion, Kovaipudur, was also on guard at the hospital.
The sick and their relatives who came to the hospital were allowed only after being screened at the main entrance to prevent mobilisation of crowd at the hospital campus. Even on the hospital premises, the road leading to the mortuary was sealed blocked till Gokulraj’s mother received the body at noon. Only a handful of relatives and VCK cadre were allowed to accompany the mother.
Police personnel were deployed in good number on both of sides of the national highway as the body was taken to Omalur from Salem and police teams accompanied the vehicles that went with the ambulance to Omalur.
At Omalur, the police made security arrangements to regulate the people who flocked to Gokulraj’s house in large number.
